Vacation
by Bunny1
Summary: The Roxtons and their children are on the way to visit the Malones and their children on the plateau, joined by Challenger and Finn, set eleven years after the season 3 finale. Completed fic!
1. Chapter 1

Lord John Roxton surveyed his brood of children proudly as they went through their paces on the horses, smiling as his beautiful wife, Marguerite, came out to the fence.

"Feeling better, darling?" he asked, putting an arm around her waist and kissing her temple.

"A little, still kind of headachey." she admitted. "Oh, they're doing splendidly." she smiled as Emmeline-Cate, their youngest, hopped her pony over a bush.

"Well, they are ours, after all." Roxton said a bit proudly.

"Did you tell them yet about the trip to go and visit Ned and Veronica?" she asked.

Roxton nodded. "Yes, they're very excited to see Abby and Tommy as well."

Edwin, the old stablehand, helped the children down from their horses, and bid them go back to their waiting parents.

"You can't run these ponies all day; they need a drink." he said, leading them back to the stables.

Roxton watched as his three children came bouncing towards her. Avery, who had been named for the estate in Averbury, who was 10, Morgan, who was 8, and Emmeline-Cate, who was six. All three with their mother's dark curls and grey eyes.

"When do we leave for the trip, Mummy?" Emmeline-Cate asked, clamoring to be picked up.

"Tonight," Marguerite smiled, nuzzling her baby's cheek. "We are getting on a big boat, and then a balloon."

"I've never been in a balloon before, have I?" she asked.

Marguerite shook her head. "No, but I think you're all old enough we can go for a bit of a visit," she said. "We haven't been since we left, because that was right before Avery was born."

In that ten year or so span, Ned and Veronica had come back-and-forth, a handful of times, visiting for his book tours and such, since the way off and on had become more visibly apparent to them after Veronica paid a visit to Avalon to spend some time with her mother.

And, Challenger, who had decided to retire halfway between the two places in a warmer climate, would be meeting up with them after the boat and coming along. He had said the warmer climate was for his rheumatoid and sciatica, however, Marguerite suspected it was the women in year-round bathing costumes and as much as said so, to the ginger-haired scientist's blushing fluster.

Marguerite took Morgan's hand with her free hand, Emmeline-Cate still on her hip, and began walking them inside, Avery and Roxton following.

"Are there_ really_ dinosaurs, Mummy?" Morgan asked, his eyes sparking and excited.

"Oh, aye, laddie." Roxton smiled, his eyes twinkling. "More than you'll ever want to see- all sorts of interesting people and creatures- even ape-men."

"Which we will be as careful as possible of how much 'interesting' you get." Marguerite said pointedly. She did want to make sure her precious babies were protected from the dangers as well.

"We'll be fine, Marguerite." Roxton said, kissing her cheek. "Roughing it will be good for them."

"I'm not scared of any ole dinosaurs!" Emmeline-Cate declared boldly.

"Oh, no?" Roxton asked, amused.

"No, if they tried to bite me, I'd pop it on the nose, just like Wolfy!" she said bravely.

Wolfy being their Irish Wolfhound that slept by the fireplace.

"You're gobshite, too!" Avery burst out. "You still cry if Wolfy barks at you!"

Marguerite stopped, looking at her son. "What word did you just say, young man?"

"I- Daddy said it to Mr. Tully at the pub!" Avery defended.

Marguerite whirled on her husband.

"Ah... well, at least he used it properly?"


	2. Chapter 2

Marguerite had insisted on taking a boat to Argentina, where Challenger was waiting for them, rather than a plane, because she could get more of the first class luxury accommodations that she knew she would be missing while she was visiting, as much as she had missed Veronica- and even Ned a little bit.

They had gotten a room with two beds for the children and a private connecting suite for themselves. Roxton began to nuzzle Marguerite's neck, but she pushed him off a bit.

"Lord Roxton, I think we need to make sure the children are completely asleep." she warned.

"I will go and check, Lady Roxton." Roxton agreed, his voice husky, and walked quietly through the door to check on them.

What he had _expected _to see was Emmeline-Cate on one bed and the boys on the other, with Wolfy on the floor. What he _saw_ was Morgan half laying on the great white monstrous dog, snoring softly, with Avery and Emmeline-Cate in the other bed.

Avery was half sitting up, completely asleep, a copy of his latest Edgar Rice Burroughs serial dangling limply from one hand, and Emmeline Cate was curled into a complete ball on top of a pillow, like a rolly-polly bug.

Roxton smiled gently, and lightly slipped the book out of his son's hand, sitting it on the bureau, and slid him down into a lying down position so that his neck wouldn't be sore the next morning. The baby, he picked up, straightened out, and laid her under the covers as well.

Then, he kissed them each gently on top of the head, receiving a light "wuff" from Wolfy when he got to Morgan.

"Oh, quiet, you great beast." Roxton muttered good naturedly. "Don't you dare wake them up." he whisper-ordered, holding a finger up to him, and then rubbed the dog's head as well before slipping quietly out of his children's room and back into his own.

"Kiddies are all down for the- well, I'll be..." he muttered, annoyed, as he saw that Lady Roxton herself had stretched out on the bed- obviously in an attempt to look sexy for him in her lingerie- and passed out asleep, tired from her day as well!

Roxton smirked, and kissed his sleeping wife's forehead before laying the covers over her and sliding into bed for a good night's sleep himself...


	3. Chapter 3

When everyone arrived at the treehouse, Veronica had set up a little party for the children as well as the adults. Tommy was 10, having been born two months after Avery, and Abby was 9. "Uncle George" delighted all of the children with his simple invention of a wire "wand", shaped into a hexagon at one end, dipped into a solution of soap that made lovely bubbles all over the place.

"And, when the children are done playing, they can put scrubbers on their feet and clean the floor with the excess." he'd chuckled. "Two games in one- it's brilliant." he declared.

Veronica handed everyone some sweets she'd baked that morning, along with some coffee.

"It seems like forever that we've all been here together," she smiled. "I've missed everyone."

"Silly; you were in London not five weeks ago." Marguerite teased.

"Yes, but us being here... it's different somehow." Veronica revealed. "Just feels more like old times."

"Aye, that it does," Roxton agreed, leaning back against his chair, relaxing and enjoying the cinnamon-and-macadamia-nut confection as his eyes closed slightly.

"John would've stayed, I'll wager." Marguerite laughed.

"No." John said, looking at her seriously. "You were pregnant, and I wanted to take you back to a _hospital_ for that. Besides, you couldn't run very well towards the end, and, it wouldn't have gotten much better lugging Avery around, even if he was papoosed." Roxton teased.

"Have to admit though, it's damn funny watching them run when they're at the waddly penguin phase." Ned laughed, and Veronica threw a cookie at his head, laughing good naturedly.

"Speaking of waddly penguins... I never did see you when you started showing." Marguerite said a bit regretfully to Veronica. "I mean, you came with Tommy after he was born, and then Abby after_ she_ was born, but we really didn't get to be 'fat' together."

"Yes, someone to share that particular misery with would have been nice." Veronica laughed. "Though, I got to see you when Emmeline-Cate was in the oven."

"I was in an _oven_?" Emmeline-Cate screeched, appalled, suddenly next to her father. "Like the witch in 'Hansel and Gretel'?"

Marguerite and Veronica looked at each-other, bursting into loud laughter, but Roxton smiled, pulling his baby girl into his lap. "Not literally, darling," he tried to explain, "that's just a saying. She means when you were inside Mummy's tummy."

Emmeline-Cate looked even more upset. "Cause she _ate_ me?"

Roxton pinched the bridge of his nose. "_No_, sweetness... Darling? Little help here?" he asked Marguerite desperately.

"Oh, I think you're doing just fine on your own..." Marguerite laughed, her and Veronica still cracking up immensely.

"Ahem, right... babies grow in mummy's tummies. Like... like a seed in a garden! Yes, that's it..." he sighed, relieved at a good enough euphemism to explain things.

"But, how does the baby seed _get_ there?" she asked, looking impressed now.

"Uh... erm... Marguerite, bloody help me!" he whispered.

Smirking at her uncomfortable husband, Marguerite took her only daughter to her own lap. "Mummies and Daddies decide they want a baby. So they hold hands, close their eyes real tight, and make a _big _wish. And, then you get a little angel to grow."

"Ohhhh..." she nodded seriously. "Can I have a cookie, please, Daddy?"

"Yes, here." Roxton said gratefully, handing her five of them. "Give one each to the other children. Share." he instructed, giving her a small nudge as he sat her on her feet.

He ran a hand over his face as she raced off. But, Veronica and Ned were looking at Marguerite as though she'd grown four heads suddenly.

"_What_?" she burst out, uncomfortable.

"That was... how did you come _up_ with that on the fly?"

"Yes, Marguerite, that was quite brilliant..." Challenger said warily.

"And... not like we were used to last time you lived here." Ned threw in.

"If I weren't such a sophisticated lady, and a _mother_, Edward Theodore Malone," she said, full naming him like a mother would, "I would show you some sign language I learned last time I was in New York for your book signing." she smirked at him. "But, I _am_, so I shall behave and not embarrass my husband."


	4. Chapter 4

Two days after the larger arrival, Finn showed up. She was running late for the little reunion, but, she wasn't about to miss the opportunity. In ten years since they had left the Plateau, Finn had been enjoying "civilization" as a model, and also had gained some acclaim accompanying handsome young actors and aristocrats on safari hunts.

Though, for all that, the illustrious young model had not settled down with a husband, or even a boyfriend.

"I prefer to play the field," she'd always say with a bright smile to the reporters.

"Wow... it's the toast of the Hollywood Fashion Show!" Marguerite teased when Finn came bouncing into the treehouse.

Finn grinned back. "I don't know about all that," she said modestly, "But, I _am_ sorry I was late; I had a date... with _Caesar Romero_..."

Ned feigned a swoon. "All the ladies think he's so handsome..."

"And completely gay." Finn blurted, flopping onto a couch.

Marguerite and Veronica looked at her and both spoke at once, "He is _not_!"

Veronica and Marguerite had both enjoyed some of his silent films on Veronica's visits to the mainland.

Finn smirked, giving a little shrug. "Well, alls I know is he never even _tried _to touch my goodies."

"He's gay all right." Ned smirked, earning himself a hard elbow in the ribs from his wife.

"Maybe he's just a gentleman, Ned!" she said, ruffled.

"I'm sorry I insulted your boyfriend." Ned teased. "Ow." he laughed as she backhanded him playfully in the gut.

"That's okay if he is- he's still a swell guy." Finn said sincerely. "So suave... he was telling me about Tab Hunter, his best friend, and invited me to go camping with them sometime."

"T-tab Hunter? Oh, _Finn_..." Marguerite breathed.

"Oh Finn _what_?" Roxton asked, feigning hurt. "Are you going to leave me for a man who wears that stupid hat and carves a Z into everything?"

Marguerite smirked at him and kissed his nose. "You're stuck with me, I'm afraid, Lord Roxton."

"Well, good." Roxton smiled, patting her on the butt affectionately.

"Where are my nieces and nephews, though?" Finn asked, happy to be "home". "I want to give them presents- gah!" she shrieked, taken off guard when the kids came bounding into the room, Wolfy leading the charge.

The hound, which only a little bigger than a Shetland Pony, had both his paws on Finn's shoulders, having her down on the ground.

Roxton rushed over, pulling him off. "Get off, bad dog!" he fussed.

"Wolfy's not bad, Daddy! He just wanted to see Auntie Finn!" Morgan said reproachfully.

"S'all right, Johnny." Finn said, dusting herself off. "It's about how half my dates greet me too." she quipped. "All right, I think I see adorable children who want presents!"


	5. Chapter 5

Late that night, after the children were asleep, everyone was sitting up having brandy and looking over photo albums.

Ned picked one up, however, and Finn nervously took it.

"Um... that's more of a personal one..." she flushed.

Ned quirked his eyebrows, but shrugged. She was certainly entitled to some privacy- and, considering how he felt about his journals, he most definitely understood that.

However, Marguerite wanted to tease her.

"What? Did you pose for some naked pictures?"

"Yes." Finn admitted.

"Oh, don't you all look so shocked; it was fun! My roommate Bella and I were just having a lark."

Marguerite started looking through the album, her pupils dilating at some of the suggestive poses that Finn and this Bella person she was hearing of for the first time had done. Veronica looked over Marguerite's shoulder, eyes wide as well.

"Oh, come now! You ladies- whom I certainly know _not_ to be prudes- are going to act like that over the pictures, and then not show us?"

"You most certainly will _not _be looking at Finn's filthy girlie pictures- these are worse than those Bettie Paige ones!"

Roxton smirked. "But, I like Bettie Paige; she's got a dazzling smile, and that hair..."

"Neither her smile nor her hair was what you were looking at, Lord Roxton." Marguerite remarked dryly.

Roxton laughed out loud. "Still... you remember when I asked you to do your hair like that? It was very sexy, and got you many compliments at the gala we were attending that night."

Marguerite smiled.

"They aren't filthy, Marguerite." Finn said a bit defensively. "The guy just wanted some candid-type stuff."

"And, you normally take baths _with _your housemate?" Marguerite asked, arching a brow. "Help each-other shave your legs?"

Finn flushed.

"Well, it would save on time and hot water." George blurted, making Ned and Roxton laugh more.

"Well, we're not all lucky like you and Vee, to find someone we feel worthy of settling down for." Finn said quietly, and suddenly the dynamic in the room shifted. "I date- a lot- but I don't take any of them serious. Hell, I honestly feel closer to Bella, and would rather snuggle up to her most nights." she admitted. "But, for all the fun and glamor, at the end of the day, I'm still... I'll probably never get to be a mother, and if I were to, I'd have to give up all the rest of it."

George put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I understand how you feel," he said, speaking gruffly but gently. "The tug of war between progeny and career."

Finn nodded.

"I can give you advice, if you'd listen to an old man, though?"

Finn looked at him with a watery smile. "You're not _that _old."

"I am, and I can tell you the truth- what matters in this world is love. I left my Jessie, and she died while we were here." he said. "But, the truth is, I left her for my work twenty _years _before that, and I didn't want to admit that to myself. She wanted children, and I told her she would have to wait until my career was at a better point- a point that never came, because nothing was ever good enough for me. We looked around one day, and we were too old. She died childless, and thinking she was a widow. I, too, will never have children, and am at an age where I should be having _grand_children."

"Oh, Challenger..." Finn sighed, feeling sorry for him. "It's... lots of older dudes marry some pretty young thing_very_ late in life and let her pop out babies for him."

George pulled a face. "I do not wish to look like a dottering old fool, nor put the woman through the disgrace of looking like a golddigger, because that is what those couples look like. Besides, I would not be around to see the children grow completely up, and that would make it hard on both the wife and the children."

"Why would you have to give up modeling to become a mother?" Veronica asked her quietly.

"Because, Vee, my figure would get all... funhouse mirror!" she blurted.

Marguerite stood up. "Look at my figure, Finn, and I have had three children. I had to work hard to get it back, but I did. Many actresses do so quite splendidly, and perhaps you could parley your modeling into acting, as many of them do."

Finn nodded thoughtfully.

"And, if you don't want to marry anyone, go find some guy to get you pregnant, and raise the baby yourself." Ned suggested.

"I think we've all graduated from lubricated to morose." Marguerite observed.

Roxton nodded. "Quite right, we should, ahem, go retire."


	6. Chapter 6

Roxton woke early the next morning to hear loud screaming and wild noises down below the treehouse. It only took him a moment to realize, no, not invaders; just five wild children.

He looked at the sky, then reached for his pocket-watch on the nightstand. The sun wasn't quite up yet; it was barely 5:30 in the morning! He ran a hand over his face, pulling a pillow back over his head...

By the adults were straggling out of bed, it was quiet- disturbingly quiet to parents who were used to the noise. Marguerite looked around over the balcony, calling out to her babes. "Avery! Morgan! Emmeline-Cate!" she yelled out.

She looked at Roxton worriedly when she got no answer, but, Veronica patted her arm reassuringly.

"Relax; Abby and Tommy probably just took them exploring." she said easily.

"You let your children go exploring _alone _in the jungle?" she demanded of Veronica incredulously.

"We have perimeters set up, and they have been taught where they can and cannot go." Ned said. "They're nine and ten; we can't leash them to our waists _all_ the time. We've been teaching them survival skills their entire lives- we have to, with them living here."

Marguerite fidgeted, looking at Roxton as if _"help?"_. Roxton patted her arms gently. "Darling... they'll be fine, I'm certain?" he soothed. "Though, they've never been here- ah, but, Tommy and Abby would know what to tell them." he said a bit doubtfully, starting to feel edges of concern himself.

"I never would've expected you two to be so hovery as parents." Ned blurted, flopping into a chair.

"_Ned_..." Veronica reproached quietly.

"I _beg_ your pardon?" Marguerite burst out, and Roxton put the hands back on her arms, even though she hadn't made a move forward, just incase.

"Well, you treat them like they're made of glass or something. Kids are tough. I kind of expected you to hire a nanny to take care of all that stuff." he admitted. "You guys never struck me as the kids type- especially not to coddle them the way you do."

Marguerite's eyes popped open in fury, but Roxton stood in front of her, looking at Ned offended now, too.

"Now, see _here_, Malone-" he begun angrily.

"Now, now... we all have different styles of everything, let's not fight about it..." Veronica tried to placate.

But, she was ignored.

"We don't even have a nanny, because Marguerite did not want to share that. She wanted to be the only one the children thought of as mother, and I happen to love that. And, my children are hardly 'coddled' as you say- I have two strapping, strong boys! And, the baby... well, she's a _girl_, you know! And, still a baby. Just because we don't allow our children to be raised by sabertoothed wolves..."

"Now, hold on! We take _very _good care of our kids!" Veronica burst out. "And, we are in very different places, so I don't think either approach is wrong. So, can we drop this testosterone fest so early in the morning?" she demanded. "Everyone sit down and have some damn breakfast, and the children will be back soon, or we _will _go look for them, because they know how long they're allowed to be gone."

And, everyone sat down to a silent and awkward meal...

* * *

An hour came and went, with no children, no dog. Veronica was starting to look worried herself, as was Ned.

"All right, we go find them." Roxton said, loading up his guns.

"I'm... I'm sorry what I said earlier, Roxton. I didn't mean it." Ned said quietly. "My foot just likes to take up residence in my mouth sometimes."

"Comes from being a New Yorker, I suppose, old man." Roxton teased, gracing him with a small smirk.

In man speak, forgiveness.

The group gathered up everything, and walked out first to the perimeters Ned and Veronica had set up for the children's safety.

"Markers... how clever..." Marguerite said.

Veronica nodded. "Yes, my mother and father used to do the same for me before they... well... the stuff happened." she fidgeted, still unable to bring herself to terms with _everything_.

Marguerite put an arm around her, patting her on the shoulder. It wasn't that hard for Roxton to pick up their trail. Being children and not really having a proper sense of danger, they did not even attempt to hide it.

"Well, they've broken where they were supposed to go." Ned said, annoyed. "They've obviously gone out further... I'm so, so sorry..."

"Ned, tisn't your fault, really. It's going to be all right, they are going to be fine." Marguerite said, though who she was reassuring, Ned or herself, no one was quite sure.

Suddenly, they walked upon a village none of them recognized, full of people, and saw the children splashing about in the lake with several of tribesmembers... 


	7. Chapter 7

"I say... they look to be Indians, but... are they speaking _French_?" George burst out.

"Osage, which are a Canadian branch, whom yes, speak their own branch of French for the most part." Roxton said, quirking his brows at Veronica.

"We're barely a mile from the perimeters; I have never seen this village before..."

"Well, the plateau is known for being an apex of shifting planes of reality, and parallel universes seem to slip in and out of here occasionally." George said, rubbing his beard thoughtfully. "In the four years that we were here, it happened a handful of times..."

Marguerite, meanwhile, was rushing over to her children.

"What in the bloody hell were you thinking?" she demanded of them. "You had us frightened to death!"

Avery swallowed, looking at his mother with her hands on her hips.

"I'm sorry, Mum, but... we heard the sounds! We _had_ to come see!"

"You didn't 'have' to do anything!" Marguerite fussed, rubbing her forehead. "What you _should_ have done was come and _get_ us, and tell us, and we might have _taken _you to investigate."

Abby looked over at her mother, who looked just as angry as Marguerite. "We weren't far out of the area." she said loftily.

"Abagail Ava Malone! You _know_ better than to go even a _step _outside of it!"

"Aw, come on, Ma... we were only exploring..." Tommy put in, but shrank back at a firey look from his mother.

"You'd do best to keep quiet too, Thomas Layton Malone." she said sternly.

One of the tribesmen approached the mothers and spoke in French. _"Are these your children?"_ he asked.

Marguerite nodded. "Oui, ceux-ci sont nos enfants."

"What's going on?" Veronica stage whispered to her, but Marguerite waved a hand to shush her.

_"Were they any trouble?"_ Marguerite asked him in French.

_"No, not at all; they are very smart and inquisitive. They have been playing with our children most of the morning. But, I suspect you have been worried, no?" _

Marguerite nodded, giving a_ look_ to her three guilty-looking offspring.

At this time, Challenger stepped forward and spoke up, having at least some knowledge of French. _"Are you from here originally?" _he asked.

The tribesman looked very confused. _"We have lived in our village our entire lives. Where else would we live?"_

Marguerite elbowed him. "George, I really don't think you need to unlock all the secrets of _everything_." she whispered. "They don't know, why confuse them?"

"I just want to know where they are from, why they are here, and if they need help getting back, Marguerite..." Challenger said defensively.

"And, it may change instantaneously around them, so that they don't even know it's happening. Just like a couple of the villages from before. Isn't that the best thing?" Marguerite queried.

"Not, my dear, if they run into a dinosaur." Challenger said dryly...


	8. Chapter 8

Lunch was a rather quiet affair, with the children having the air of knowing they were in trouble. Roxton sat on the porch enjoying a smoke afterward, and his oldest came out to stand behind his chair, quiet as a mouse.

"Come here, AJ." he said gently, using his pet nickname for his son, Avery's middle name being John. Only his father ever got away with calling him that, either, so he figured he wasn't in _too_ much trouble.

John put an arm around the ten-year-old. "You've been uncharacteristically quiet." he observed. "Is something the matter?"

"Aren't you and Mummy mad?" He blurted out.

"No. No, we were worried when we could not find you, but, no, not mad. Merely glad you all are safe."

"I was s'posed to be in charge." Avery fidgeted. "I'm two months older than Tommy."

"Ah. Well... Tommy and Abby have been here all of their lives, save vacations, and you never have. It's a dangerous place if you don't know where you are going." he soothed, rubbing his back gently.

"It's not that... it's that I'm supposed to be in charge of Morgan and Emmeline-Cate when you aren't with us. I'm supposed to keep them in line."

Roxton's mouth twitched, but he didn't let his son see it. "Well, now, that's a big responsibility for ten years old, isn't it? They can be a handful..."

Avery nodded solemnly. "Yes, but... I'm the oldest. So... if we're in trouble... blame me."

Roxton drew him close. "Noble of you, but no one is in trouble..." he assured. "Growing into quite a man, aren't you, AJ?"

Avery nodded, giving a bit of a smile. "Am I, Daddy?"

"Yes, and I'm very proud of that..." he said, giving him a light squeeze. "But, you must promise me not to do that again, all right? If Mummy and I don't know where you are, we cannot keep you safe. All right?"

"Yes, sir..." he said, looking at his shoes again.

"Now, why don't you tell me what you learned while you were there?"

Meanwhile, inside, the ladies had gathered with the little girls to do some sewing.

"Ow!" Emmeline-Cate wailed, sticking her finger into her mouth.

"Oh, let me see that, darling..." Marguerite sighed, looking at the tiny hand. "It's nothing; just a small prick." she said, giving the finger a gentle kiss.

"Why are we sewing instead of the men, Mummy?" Emmeline-Cate asked, looking around, and Finn laughed.

"She's smart." Finn laughed. "Sweetie, back in California, I don't do much of my own sewing- and I have a _male_ tailor!"

"I don't like the idea of other people having their hands in my clothes before I put them on, or their hands on _me_, measuring me." Veronica admitted. "Ned has taken me to those fancy dress shoppes, and even the women tailors make me uncomfy. I like to do it for myself."

"That's because you're good at it- and actually look good in your clothes." Abby blurted.

Veronica tilted her head at her daughter. "What are you talking about, Abby?"

"Everyone always talks about how beautiful you are... _Everyone_... cause you _are_." the nine-year-old said quietly. "But, not me... they look at me like, 'how did _she _come from _her_?'."

Veronica put down the shirt she was mending and sat down next to her daughter, gathering her into her arms. "Abby... you're beautiful!" she said, holding her tightly. "The moment I laid eyes on you, I thought you were the prettiest little thing ever!"

"I'm not; I'm all bony and skinny... and I'm too tall! I'm taller than Tommy, and he's older, and a _boy_!" she pouted.

"Sweetie... you just hit your growth spurt first, that's all... and he might end up being kind of short; your Dad's handsome, but not exactly a giant..."

"I know how you feel." Marguerite said, sitting down in front of the mother and daughter.

"How could you, Auntie Marguerite?" Abby sniffled. "You're beautiful, too!"

"Not always, I will have you know." Marguerite confided. "When I was a child I was too thin, too tall, too awkward... too boisterous, too... _everything_." she laughed. "But, then, I bloomed earlier than other girls around me. I started getting breasts at 12. And, _that _was actually awkward, too, because little boys can be stupid about those things. Big boys can be even _more_stupid."

Abby nodded.

"Don't be in too big a hurry to grow up, Ab." Finn said, sitting next to Veronica and her daughter. "It'll happen soon enough, and you'll miss being a little girl, able just to crawl into Mom's lap and let her make the world go away."

Abby nodded, snuggling closer to her mother, and Veronica smiled, kissing the top of her head.

"You know... maybe it's time we started letting you wear skirts and dresses all the time..." Veronica whispered, and Abby's eyes lit up... 


	9. Chapter 9

Emmeline-Cate came out with Marguerite and Finn, and went bounding into her father's lap, making him smile.

"Hello, Princess."

"Daddy, Daddy, you should see-"

"Shhh." her mother reminded, and Emmeline-Cate nodded solemnly.

Roxton raised an eyebrow.

Veronica came out then. "Presenting..." she said dramatically, "The new Miss Abagail Ava Malone!"

And, Abby came out shyly, wearing a near-replica of her mother's outfit. Her unruly curls, which she had inherited from _both_parents, were swept up from her face in a half-braid, with the rest loose underneath the braid, by a leather strap.

She gave a shy smile, and most of the adults in the room made a fuss over her. But, Ned... he was looking at his daughter with huge, wide eyes.

"What the hell is she wearing?" he demanded. "She looks like... "

"Me?" Veronica pointed out, slightly huffy.

"Now, Veronica... don't start that- she's just a baby! She shouldn't be dressing like... well, like a woman!"

Abby bit her lip and looked at her feet, and Veronica folded her arms.

"Ned. She looks beautiful. And, I have a few more modest dresses I'm working on, but we need to stop dressing her like a boy. She needs the self-esteem boost." Veronica whispered.

Ned frowned, and then looked at Abby, walking over. "You... you look like your mother shrunk, you know." he said, touching her hair gently.

Abby's eyes lit up. "Really, Dad?"

Ned nodded. "Always did..."

_  
Later on in the afternoon, the children came racing into the common room, the girls riding on Wolfy like a pony.

"Can we go outside, Dad?" Tommy asked hopefully. "We wanna go swimming."

"Sure, if it's okay with Uncle John and Auntie Marguerite..." Ned began, and then glanced over at Morgan, helping Abby down from the dog's back. "Actually... swimming isn't the best idea for today. There are... fish..." he said lamely.

"There's always fish, Dad." Tommy said, confused. "Remember, usually when we swim we bring home a few for supper?"

"Yes, but, not eating fish... dangerous fish, yes. I thought I saw a Piranha yesterday..."

"Really?" Challenger asked, fascinated. "We never saw them down at the lagoon before... Oh, that_ is _worth investigating..."

"No, no, not worth investigating... just worth staying out of the lagoon..." Ned said nervously, trying manfully to ignore the confused looks his wife was shooting him. "And... besides, you might catch cold. It's getting cold."

"It's the Brazilian Jungle, old man; it doesn't _get_ cold." Roxton reminded, eying him.

"Well... changing climates happen all the time... And, I don't think you want the kids getting sick any more than I do..." Ned said, and took a jacket off of the chair. "Here, Ab; you look cold, c'mere..."


	10. Chapter 10

Later in the afternoon, Roxton, Ned, Challenger and Finn had taken the boys out hunting. Abby had wanted to go, not to be left out, but her mother reminded her how much she hated hunting. Which, she did... just didn't want to be left behind.

Roxton looked over at Ned, an amused expression on his face, several times as they walked through the jungle.

"Oh, _what_?" Ned asked, confused.

"Nothing, nothing..." Roxton shrugged, a smirk still on his face. "Just find it amusing is all, for all your bluster about us being hovery, the little mini-fit you throw about your daughter dressing like a _girl_."

"_Your _daughter is not wearing a dress like that." Ned reminded a bit sourly. "She's wearing a cute little sundress- that reaches her calves."

Roxton shrugged. "Not from here, and... well, still a baby."

"Exactly, so's Abby." Ned shot back. "I don't want boys... noticing..."

"She's nine, they won't." Roxton assured. "Besides, who does she even see?"

"Can I ask you boys something?" Finn asked softly, deciding to interrupt before Ned had a chance to answer.

"Sure, Finn." Ned nodded.

"I was thinking... about what you said, Ned, about getting pregnant but not having to marry..."

Ned nodded.

"I'm wondering how I'd even go _about_ that."

"Finn, you're a big girl by now, I think if you don't know it, it's too late to tell you." Roxton said, slightly flustered.

Finn rolled her eyes. "Not _that_ part, silly. I mean... choosing. How do I choose, and how can I be sure he won't want to be a part later?"

'Well, that's not something you _can _be sure about." Ned told her. "Unless he just doesn't _know_."

Finn looked thoughtful. "But, how can I choose, if I'm not looking for love?"

"Well, that's not an easy task, m'dear; you're going to be looking for physical traits, I would assume, personality, talents, intelligence, ahem, ah... access..." George said, getting flustered himself towards the end of the conversation.

"Shouldn't you talk to the _girls _about this, Finn?" Ned asked.

"No." Finn said, shaking her head. "Vee told me it was sad not to choose for love, and I think even _Marguerite_ has gotten soppy and sentimental since marrying Roxton and popping out all those kids."

"She'd be annoyed at that description." Roxton said with a grin.

Finn grinned back. "I know... but, I think Challenger has the right idea, actually... too bad I can't get traits from all of you boys." she said. "I mean, Challenger's wicked brilliant, Roxton's all strong and manly... and Ned's got the sensitive writer's soul. Though, you _both_helped make some gorgeous kids."

"I, ah, think you can thank my wife for that bit." Roxton smiled. "All_ three_ of mine look like their Mum made over, which is what I wanted. You know, perhaps yours will look like you?"

Finn nodded. "Maybe..."

Tommy, suddenly beside his father, reminded him that he, Avery and Morgan were still there. "Too bad you can't adopt a Zanga baby, Auntie Finn."

Everyone looked at him, startled.

"Tommy, this is grownup talk..." Ned chuffed.

"Well, maybe, but I was just thinking about how those five Zanga villagers died a few weeks ago during that storm, and two of 'em were in the middle of having babies. And, now the babies don't have mommies."

"Yes, but I'm sure they have daddies?" Ned reminded.

Tommy shrugged. "I dunno. I'm not sure."

"Well-" Ned began, but then he heard a frantic shout from Morgan, about four feet ahead...


	11. Chapter 11

Roxton raced over to see Morgan, being pulled up under the arms by Avery, who was trying to get him away from a snake, that had wrapped itself around his boot and clamped onto the ankle, biting hard. Not wanting to risk injuring his son further, Roxton took his boot and kicked the snake off of the little boy, risking getting bitten himself, before he shot it at point-blank range.

The blown bits of snake were a pale brown, like a bark-birdhouse that had sat in the sun for way, way too long and was falling apart. The black patterns on the snake were unmistakable... a pit viper.

He knelt down to his son, who was sobbing.

"It's all right... it's going to be fine..." he said in empty reassurances, though, he was frightened out of his own mind.

He ripped open the loose khaki pant leg with his bare hands, and then took his knife to cut the boot off. The ankle was rapidly swelling, the two perfectly-spaced puncture wounds red and angry-looking, oozing a pinkish mixture of venom, puss and blood.

"Challenger!" Roxton yelled. "Where the bloody hell did you _go_?"

"I'm right behind you." Challenger soothed, sitting down beside the distraught father. "Make two xs with your knife on the puncture wounds." he instructed.

"Yes, bloody damn it, I know that much..." Roxton spat, frustrated, "but... what about an anti-venom?"

Challenger shook his head. "You blew that snake's head off. I need him alive to get a venom sampling to make an anti-venom."

"We'll go track some." Finn promised, leading Challenger off.

"What's going to happen, Daddy?" Morgan asked tearfully.

"Nothing, sweetheart..." Roxton sighed. "I'm going to get the venom out as best I can, and Uncle George is going to get you some medicine afterwards- Ned, take the other boys home. Now." he ordered.

Ned nodded, leading them back the way they had come, but Avery balked.

"I wanna stay with Morgan!"

"Young man, I do not have time to argue with you! Go!" Roxton snapped.

He hadn't meant to, but, he couldn't help it. He didn't want Avery to witness this. Hell, he didn't want Morgan to witness it... he pulled out his flask.

"Take a nip." he said, "this is going to smart."

Morgan looked at him, wide-eyed, and took a deep drought, coughing. "Yuck..."

"Yeah, I know..." Roxton said, and gave him a stick. "Bite on it." he ordered.

And, he made the cuts to begin sucking out the venom...


	12. Chapter 12

By the time Challenger and Finn had come back with the collected venom to make the anti-venom, Morgan had slipped into a fever, his wound and the surrounding area looking worse. Veronica had put a tourniquet around the boy's calf, and he had been laying in a bed, clinging to his mother, half in, half out of consciousness. Ned walked in to Roxton, who was on his old spot on the porch, smoking his fourth cigarette.

"Challenger and Finn are back." he told him. "They'll make the serum, and Morgan will come out of this."

"Will he?" Roxton asked in a whisper. "It's been six hours now already, and I'm certain it takes time to get the formula right."

Ned nodded. "He will be fine, John. _You_ need to calm down."

"Where are the other children?" Roxton asked, deflecting.

"Veronica is trying to distract them, reading to them in Abby's room. Not working very well, but, she's trying to keep them busy."

Roxton nodded, his hand absently going to Wolfy, who had come up and started head-butting his ribcage.

"I should go back in." he said, clearing his throat. "It's just... he doesn't like the smoke, and I needed one." Roxton said weakly. "He... asthma, you know."

"Really? No, I didn't..."

"Well, he mostly doesn't have spells, and when we discovered it, Challenger helped us get him a vaporizer type thing to help."

"And, see? You can't even tell it." Ned said. "Challenger will fix this as well. I pr-"

"No, Ned. Don't make a promise on this." Roxton said, his voice rough with emotion. "Don't make promises you have no control over."

Ned nodded, blinking slightly. "I'm sorry, I just... I thought that's what you do, what you say..."

Roxton nodded. "Yes, but... not right. I'd then have cause to be angry with you if it..." but, he looked down, dropping his head to Wolfy's crown, unable to finish the thought, as the thought of loosing his precious son overwhelmed him. After all, the boy had practically slipped into a coma already...

Ned sighed, and put a hand on his back. "I'm sorry, John... but, I really _do_ feel he's going to be all right. We all came back from worse, and Challenger doctored us out of it."

Roxton nodded, looking away from Ned as he wiped at his eyes, though Ned could still see, even if he pretended not to.

Finn came out then. "George gave him the injection; Marguerite wants you to come back in and wait with them."


	13. Chapter 13

After an hour, the wound started looking well enough to remove the tourniquet, and Morgan, though tired and pale, seemed better himself. He stayed in the bed, his parents on either side of him, his brother and sister at the foot of the bed now, Wolfy with his head on Roxton's leg, laying on the floor.

Finn, meanwhile, walked into Challenger's old lab. "You did good; I think the kid's gonna be just fine."

Challenger nodded, looking a bit emotionally spent himself.

"You all right there, George?" she asked, sitting next to him.

"Yes, I think I just did not let the pressure hit me before, because I would have not been able to do my task at hand. But now that it is over... I think of if Roxton and Marguerite's son had not made it..."

"Oh, George..." she breathed, taking his hands into hers. "You can't go over the what-ifs when you win, man! It's... self-sabotage!"

Challenger patted her hands. "Thank you, M'dear. You're right, you're right..."

Not letting go of his hands, Finn swallowed. "George... I have a proposal for you."

Challenger raised an eyebrow. "Proposal?"

"It would be an absolute _sin_ for someone as brilliant as you not to pass on their genes."

Challenger nodded thoughtfully, eying her. "Well, yes, I've always thought so, but... I am not married anymore."

"You could be." Finn said softly. "We already get along, we're great friends, and I want to be a mother more than anything. And, don't you get lonely in Argentina all alone, George?" she asked him, brushing his whitish-ginger hair back from his face. "You could marry me, and we could have babies, and Bella and I would take care of you."

"I don't need taking care of." he chuffed.

"But, you want children, and I could give you that." Finn said softly, her hands sliding to her lap. "And, you mentioned people calling your hot young chippie a golddigger? Well, they _wouldn't_ with me, because I'm already loaded on my own!"

George looked thoughtful. "I suppose... it would be a mutually beneficial partnership... with... certain understandings..."

Finn nodded. "Exactly."

"Then, yes, we should tell the others we're getting married!" George said, pulling her into a hug.

"What?" Veronica asked, shocked, as she came in with a tea-tray for Challenger.

"It's perfect." Finn said to Veronica. "Come on, let's go tell Marguerite!" she said, dragging her out...

_  
Morgan continued to recover beautifully over the next few days, and there would barely be a scar. And, so, all of the extended family left the Plateau for California, America, for Finn and George's wedding.

The news was rather sprung upon Bella, but, after a bit of private talking with Finn, she was very accepting as well, for it meant that the ladies could have everything they had ever wanted without question, and she would also get to spend time with a fascinating famous scientist, who would in time become one of her dear friends as well. The wedding was a small, intimate affair at the house, and then everyone went back home.

All told, Finn and Challenger had four children: Douglas George, for George and his father; Molly, named for The Unsinkable Molly Brown, whom Finn had read about and greatly admired; Percy, for one of George's favorite literary characters, Perseus; and finally their baby, Arthur, for Dear Summerlee, whom would always be remembered...


End file.
